Halloween Diary 2021 - Dracula's Daughter (3.5/5)

 

I did notice this year when scanning the reviews on Letterboxd that plenty of twenty-somethings have really honed in on what they perceive to be lesbian subtext. To them Countess Zaleska's vampirism is latent lesbianism she wishes to "cure", requesting help from a psychiatrist to successfully be "released" of this "curse" that seems to prevent her from walking about "freely". Sandor is the side of her that believes she should embrace it, not reject it, accept who she is and surrender to it instead. I personally just look at what she endures as vampirism, responsible for her bloodlust because of her father transferring it to her. But the beauty of movies is you can project whatever you so desire to them. If you think Zaleska's situation is based on something more subtextual, cool. I just go with the simpler of plots myself. 

What seemed to latch onto me is how Professor Von Helsing (I never noticed him called Von until tonight while watching this on Peacock streaming) is arrested and seems without counsel, requesting Garth, a student under him he trusts. But what about Mina, Harker, or, especially, Doctor Seward, all of whom could give credence to what Von Helsing explains about Dracula to Scotland Yard's Sir Basil? Did the two cops who found Von Helsing down in the bowels of Carfax Abbey not encounter Mina and Harker? Screenplay issues were all the rage with these Universal Monster B-sequels to the A-properties that made them famous and popular. Still, Holden is so magnifique I can forgive such as that. It's simple: of the "Dracula" film, only Van Sloan could be optioned to return. Hillyer's direction cannot be discounted: he learned from what made the first film such a Gothic triumph and brought that to the forefront. Say what you will about the melodrama and romantic comedy regarding Garth and Janet, the two cops with their goofy expressions, and sadly a real lack of Von Helsing (more or less a guest star), I think Zaleska and Sandor really save this one, along with the atmospheric direction.

This is the first time I watched a Universal film of the classics on Peacock's streaming besides "The Strange Case of Dr. Rx". For years I have leaned on my Legacy sets. Laziness got the better of me as I just wanted to see if I could jigger up some enthusiasm for the classics. This is probably the first time I've watched this so late in the month.